I have taken a few minutes to do things this weekend like look at the sunrise, the full moon at night, and a couple of really pretty trees fully showing their fall colours. There is life outside of the reno and the upcoming move. I can enjoy it, in between returning spigots and arguing about baseboards.

I think I will drink a G2 beverage or mint tea in the evenings. I tried that last night and slept for just over 6 hours (amazing for me). Part of my waking at 2 a.m. might well be due to dehydration. I've been through this before but I keep forgetting that I have to consistently practice the good behaviours for 6-8 weeks to make them habits.

Fall is certainly in the air here. The mornings are just a little chilly and we don't expect to see daytime temperatures over 100 degrees. I spoke to my Dad yesterday and they have snow in some parts of the valley (fully expected to have it melt) and a foot in the mountains. I hope that is a foreshadowing of things to come there--last winter was very dry and the reservoirs are depleted. I'd love to have an extra rainy winter here as we need it as well.

I stayed up past my bedtime last night so we could watch the final episode of Breaking Bad. I expected to be tired this morning (I am, a little) but I woke exactly 3 minutes before my alarm, so I don't think I hurt myself.

I walk to the gym through my apartment complex's gardens, which are still gorgeous, as we haven't had a frost yet, but feel I can't linger. I get stuck in traffic jams while commuting the office and try to breathe in some of that leaf-scented air. I sit in the office and gaze out at the gorgeous blue sky. And all the while, I feel like I am in captivity, and fall is happening somewhere just beyond my reach, like a televised event.

I am so jealous of those of you who live in a place were autumn is a season. We are still in the 100's here.

I'm guessing you live in Arizona??

Today has started off in full swing at work-- been running nonstop!

The weekend was a mixed bag. Saturday dh and I went out to dinner and to see Prisoners so that was great. Sunday, he worked all day (at home-- but glued to his laptop and phone)-- I kept thinking he'd finish and we'd do something but it never happened. His China project keeps him working horrendous hours.

I may be in the market for a new car. Dd took my Toyota RAV 4 to college, leaving me with a convertible mini cooper. Fun car but small. I certainly can't fit our Great Dane in it. We've been debating what to do but this weekend, I got fed up with the car. We've had it 3 years but have less than 19,000 miles on it so it should be like new. It had a few issues we were going to bring it in for but then on Saturday I put the top down and when I was putting it back up, it broke. Ugh. So, dh brought it in today.
I'm debating getting a Jeep Cherokee. We were going to check them out yesterday but couldn't with dh's work. So.... hopefully we will go Friday after work to look.

We are going to Napa overnight Saturday- Sunday so I'm looking forward to that. Booked a great restaurant (never been there but it's supposed to be one of the best) and massages. I'm planning on being spot-on with food and exercise in anticipation of some splurging!!

I came home to a lizard in my bedroom. These are the times I miss DS. He's usually quite adept at catching and relocating them. Seriously, I have no idea how my killer cats missed this guy--he was big! At least 3 inches long! Well, I herded the animals out, grabbed a fairly large tupperware with a lid and went to work. Held the tupperware under his tail (he was hanging on my blinds) and the tapped him on his head with the top and voila! into the tupperware he fell. After a photo to post on FB, I released him into the garden where he seemed happy to escape.

I came home to a lizard in my bedroom. These are the times I miss DS. He's usually quite adept at catching and relocating them. Seriously, I have no idea how my killer cats missed this guy--he was big! At least 3 inches long! Well, I herded the animals out, grabbed a fairly large tupperware with a lid and went to work. Held the tupperware under his tail (he was hanging on my blinds) and the tapped him on his head with the top and voila! into the tupperware he fell. After a photo to post on FB, I released him into the garden where he seemed happy to escape.

It has finally been fall-like here since Friday. Over the weekend and now even in the afternoon between work and rehearsals the dog and I are able to walk longer than we could in the summer, because she isn't getting so hot with the change in weather. I am looking around and enjoying the walks a lot more, too. I'm hoping it stays this way. I spent most of my weekend doing play stuff but things are going really well. Last night I came home to a nice dinner BF had cooked while I was at rehearsal. Don't worry, in anticipation of the late dinner I had a snack before rehearsal so I didn't get hangry.

Thanks for all of the thoughts for BF and his family. He seems to be dealing better with the situation. We haven't had any "new" news in a couple of days so I think even if the status quo is not good, he's sort of gotten used to it and that helps him keep it from bothering him too much. I'm sure this will be ongoing for... who knows how long. But thank you for the support.

Allison, funny. I've caught lizards in my house, but more often it's frogs. I have a lot of potted plants on my porch they like to hide in, and they like to hang out right by the door and catch the bugs that fly to the light. They get in a lot. Tupperware works really well!

Michele, I'm picturing you and the great dane in the mini coop. Funny. We have friends, a married couple who are both pretty trim and petite, who have a Honda Fit and a St. Bernard. I'm imagining it's a similar picture. Have fun car shopping.

Dagmar, let us know if hydrating helps with your sleep problems.

Bill, I love oranges and grapefruit, too. We have a little longer to wait until they're ready down here in FL, but the new crop of pears and apples coming in will keep me going until then.

Saef, how is your visit with your mom going? Any chance you can get upstate to visit her for a weekend and enjoy some outdoor time soon?

Hi all, Still hanging in with my higher maintenance weight... concerned that I'll gain in the cold season tho. This is the month we sell our wedding chapel, and I'll really miss the work (and still wonder what I'll do next, but many options out there). Best wishes to all my supportive friends here!

I'm operating on no sleep today. I am so grouchy. And thankful I had my children when I was younger. I don't think I could do it now. My mom was my age when I was 6. So what kept me up? Dewey the dumb dachshund. He woke me at 12:30 (after I went to bed at 11:00) and was crying. He basically cried (in my bed) all night. I kept taking him out and trying to figure out his issue. This morning he jumped out of bed and "cleaned up" cat puke. So my guess is he heard a cat puke and wanted to get out of bed but was afraid to jump out of bed during the night. Seriously?! Loser.... Did dh hear him? NOT ONE BIT.... reminds me of all of the nights with babies crying and dh never heard a thing. Ugh.

Today, it looks as though I can catch up with my work a little. I just delegated a writing job to someone, after recognizing that if I kept it when after receiving this opportunity to give it away, I'd be feeding a kind of martyr impulse inside myself.

Problem is, my mother's in the background, constantly asking me questions. I shouldn't let her come when I'm working and busy, but she wants to be here for my looming birthday.

I am constantly busy with work and have been for months. My life is one deadline after another. When my partner was being treated for cancer, everything other than keeping up with work and caring for her and our household was set aside. Even though she is now well, and has been pronounced cancer-free, my work load continues.

She often interrupts me to ask a question. Sometimes it's in the middle of a very intricate and critical editing change I'm working out. This has always been an issue between us--that I must have uninterrupted time to think and work.

Since her treatment and recovery, though, I find I'm not as concerned when she interrupts me. Perhaps I lose the train of thought--perhaps that perfect sentence I almost had, that disappeared like fog in the sunlight, will never be found again--perhaps I'll have to start over again to re-create what I was doing.

But this is only work. It is only work. Not life itself. My brilliant revisions have a very short life in the world, and I am not going to be rewarded more or found more worthy by snapping at my partner and keeping locked into my task.

saef, your mother has come to be with you on your birthday. Try to keep in mind that that's a nice thing she wants to do, even if you are buried in work, even if it disrupts everything, even if you don't like her personality or her habits and the last thing you want is to spend time with her. Take a deep breath. The time will come when she won't be there, and you can work all you want.

Very well said Jay. My mom and I had a very acrimonious relationship. My dad and I had only a slightly better one. My mom has been gone 13 years and my dad 6. I miss them every day. Especially my mom. I wish I could call her and tell her how my girls have turned out and how my life is.

I am constantly busy with work and have been for months. My life is one deadline after another. When my partner was being treated for cancer, everything other than keeping up with work and caring for her and our household was set aside. Even though she is now well, and has been pronounced cancer-free, my work load continues.

She often interrupts me to ask a question. Sometimes it's in the middle of a very intricate and critical editing change I'm working out. This has always been an issue between us--that I must have uninterrupted time to think and work.

Since her treatment and recovery, though, I find I'm not as concerned when she interrupts me. Perhaps I lose the train of thought--perhaps that perfect sentence I almost had, that disappeared like fog in the sunlight, will never be found again--perhaps I'll have to start over again to re-create what I was doing.

But this is only work. It is only work. Not life itself. My brilliant revisions have a very short life in the world, and I am not going to be rewarded more or found more worthy by snapping at my partner and keeping locked into my task.

saef, your mother has come to be with you on your birthday. Try to keep in mind that that's a nice thing she wants to do, even if you are buried in work, even if it disrupts everything, even if you don't like her personality or her habits and the last thing you want is to spend time with her. Take a deep breath. The time will come when she won't be there, and you can work all you want.

Jay

Jay, what good news that your partner is cancer free. News that I look forward to hearing myself someday,